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主权

zhǔ quán
noun★Intermediate— sovereignty
⚖️Law
formal

The supreme authority of a state over its territory, people, and government, free from external control.

联合国宪章确认了每个国家的主权平等。

The UN Charter affirms the sovereign equality of all states.

💡

In international law, sovereignty is a fundamental principle governing relations between states.

political

The right of a people to self-determination and governance without foreign interference.

殖民地人民争取主权的斗争从未停止。

The struggle for sovereignty by colonial peoples never ceased.

💡

Often used in discussions of decolonization and national independence movements.

Collocations

国家主权national sovereignty领土主权territorial sovereignty主权国家sovereign state

Synonyms

独立权自主权自治权

Antonyms

殖民地附属国被保护国

Related Phrases

主权在民phrase
sovereignty resides with the people
主权国家phrase
sovereign state

💡Pro Tip

Distinguishing from similar concepts

主权 (sovereignty) refers to a state's supreme authority, while 自治 (autonomy) refers to self-governance within a larger political entity.

⚡Gold Rule

Core meaning

主权 always implies supreme authority and freedom from external control, whether in legal or political contexts.

📖Word Origin

From 主 (zhǔ, 'master/control') + 权 (quán, 'right/power'). The concept originates from Western political philosophy but was adopted into Chinese political discourse in the late 19th century during the Self-Strengthening Movement.

📝Usage Notes

In modern Chinese, 主权 is primarily used in formal political and legal contexts. It is a key concept in discussions of international relations, territorial disputes, and national security.

Word Breakdown

主
master/control
root
+
权
right/power
root
汉英词典

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